ABSTRACT

Twelve intact male hybrid (Landrace x Duroc) pigs with average live weight of 15.20 kg (14.27-16.78 kg) and aged 14 weeks were used to determine the nutrient utilization of pigs fed diets of different proportions of palm kernel meal (PKM) and brewers' dried grain (BDG). The proportions of PKM and BDG in diets T2, T3 and T4 were 30 and 40, 35 and 35 and 40 and 30%, respectively. The experiment, which was in a completely randomized design (CRD) had four treatments, each replicated three times. There was a male per replicate. Parameters measured were dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, ether extract and nitrogen free extract (NFE) digestibility coefficients. Others were energy utilization and nitrogen (N) retention. Results showed that pigs fed 35% PKM+35% BDG diet had significantly (P<0.05) lower CP digestibility coefficient (75.49%) than those fed control diet (89.2 1%). The energy digestibility coefficient of pigs fed 35% PKM+35% BDG and 40% PKM+30% BDG diets was consistently higher (P<0.05) than that of pigs fed control diet, except ME as percentage of GE. Also, pigs fed 40% PKM+30% BDG diet had significantly (P<0.05) higher N intake (23.02 g/d) than others, while pigs fed control diet had the lowest (16.23 gld). It was concluded that pigs could be fed diets of different proportions (35% PKM+35% BDG) of PKM and BDG without adverse effect on their nutrient utilization, but with the expectation that 40% PKM+30% BDG diet could increase intake.